Trumpeter 1/144 USS Seawolf SSN 21 Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

The USS Seawolf is the third submarine to carry the name and the fastest attack submarine afloat. It was conceived during the Cold War to counter the ever improving Soviet submarines that were entering operations and to employ a new generation of weapons that could not be refit to the Los Angeles-class.

With the end of the Cold War, the original 38 submarines in this class were curtailed to three due to the expense of this type. Instead, only three of the Seawolf class were completed, with the next generation handed over to the less expensive Virginia-class attack submarines.

The Seawolf is rumored to be quieter at its cruise speed of 25 knots than a Los Angeles-class pierside. Its advanced ducted fan thruster employs the latest in hydrodynamic technologies not unlike modern aircraft propellers.

The Seawolf kit is impressive in its 1/144 scale. I wonder if we'll see an Ohio or Los Angeles-class in this scale as they'd be large indeed. The kit is molded in standard Trumpeter light gray styrene and presented on three trees plus the lower hull. Consisting of 45 parts, this kit is a quick build, but with a little painting and weathering, it should build into a beautiful replica of this advanced warship.

Let's hope this is only the beginning of Trumpeter's 1/144 submarine fleet. I think you'll enjoy this one as an easy diversion from your normal modeling.

Check out the build review of this kit here.

My sincere thanks to Stevens International for this review sample!